The Alibi

So states the risk management owner of a service that creates 'cover lies' for adulterous affairs. And up to a point that statement makes Ray Elliott (Steve Coogan) seem like an honest if distorted service provider, covering the tracks with high technology so that cheating husbands can have affairs without the danger of their wives' discovery.

Smartly written by Noah Hawley and directed with style by Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila, LIES & ALIBIS delivers a new twist to suspense films laced with comedy yet filled with tension, murder, and all manner of underground derring-do. Ray Elliott is a smooth talker who manages to discreetly provide protection for business men who cheat on their wives using photographers to set up situations, falsifying credit cards and names and hotel room reservations, staging gifts for suspicious wives to stave off their concerns, etc. All proceeds well until Ray's primary client Robert Hatch (James Brolin) hires Ray to cover his son Wendell's (James Marsden) Santa Barbara bed and breakfast, pre-wedding escapade with a S&M girlfriend of one Hannibal (John Leguizamo) - a spree that carries out a bit too far in that the girl is dead by Wendell's inadvertent orders during the 'game'. Sam takes on the voluptuous Lola (Rebecca Romijn) as his new assistant and discovers she is as brainy as she is beautiful. He employs her to help his cover of the murder (Ray had switched IDs with Wendell in a planned alibi cover for the fling), breaking his own rules, and Lola ends up saving the day through a manner of crosses and double crosses that fling off the screen so fast that it takes powerful concentration to keep the story progress straight - just the way coordinated crime behaves! The manner in which this spree takes place involves a large cast including Jon Polito, Deborah Kara Unger, Selma Blair, Sam Elliott and a fine crew of bit players. Steve Coogan and Rebecca Romijn make the whole caper tick like a time bomb, giving the film elegance and just the right balance of noir and romance. The rapid-fire cinematography is by Enrique Chediak and the always dependable Alexandre Desplat provides the musical score (with a heavy nod to Offenbach's Barcarolle from 'Tales of Hoffman'). For an evening of fast-paced intrigue, romance, tension, and creative writing and acting, LIES & ALIBIS is a sure bet. Grady Harp

"Lies & Alibis" is a 2006 film starring Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn, James Brolin, Sam Elliott, James Marsden, and John Leguizamo.

Steve Coogan plays Ray Elliot, whose former partner Jack has a $5 million contract on his life, so everybody wants to find him. Elliot runs a risk management firm on the face of it. In reality it is probably based on the real-life Alibi Network - like the real thing, Elliot's company helps wayward husbands cheat by giving them alibis, intercepting calls to the hotel where they're supposed to be staying, etc.

There are several subplots going on but the main one is that Ray helps out a client's (Brolin) son Wendell (Marsden) by allowing him to cheat on his fiancé. Wendell is supposed to be at a conference in San Francisco; instead, with faked identity showing he is Ray Elliot, he's living in up in Santa Barbara with a hot woman. Ray, as Wendall, is in San Francisco. Unfortunately, Wendell's girl is into kinky sex and, during one session, winds up dead. The cops want to speak to Ray.

I found this a funny, clever film, with the beautiful Romijn playing a new and valuable assistant of Ray's, Sam Elliot as a hit man with several wives who is after Ray's old partner, and James Brolin as a cheating husband. Leguizamo is a riot as the dead woman's boyfriend.

Lots of twists. This makes a good rental.

A fun movie with several strange twists. Essentially, "Ray Elliott" (Steve Coogan) owns a small company which helps people set up alibis in order to continue extramarital affairs. For example, if a person who is having an affair is supposed to be in a business meeting, then all calls will be rerouted to one of Ray Elliotts assistants who will field the call and cover for the client. Naturally, this is all done for a hefty price. Unfortunately, things go wrong when a new client accidentally kills his mistress. Not only is Ray Elliott left to try to clean up the mess but he soon finds that he has a contract out on his head as well. Likewise, his former partner also has a contract out on his head and people are swarming all over the place looking for him too. At any rate, Steve Coogan performed in an outstanding manner. Likewise, Rebecca Romijn looked awesome as Ray Elliott's new employee "Lola". And while this film has some mature themes it really doesn't go overboard or push the envelope. In short, this is a good comedy which most people will probably get a kick out of.

The crook Ray Elliot (Steve Coogan), whose former partner Jack is under a five million dollars contract, believes in statistics and runs a risk assessment and managing business, actually a front for a company that provides alibis to adulterous people that cheat their mates. He does not accept to give alibis for crimes and he has just hired the alluring Lola (Rebecca Romijn) to be his assistant. When Wendell Hatch (James Marsden), the reckless son of his wealthy client Robert Hatch (James Brolin), accidentally kills his masochist date Heather (Jaime King) in a kinky S&M game, Ray breaks his rules to protect his own name and hire some guys to clean the bedroom and vanish the body. Sooner Ray has many problems to resolve: the police is in his tail trying to find a clue about the disappearance of Heather; her jealous Mexican-American boyfriend wishes revenge against the murderer; Wendell is upset because Ray told his father about the crime; Robert is angry and hires the hit-man Mormon (Sam Elliott) to kill Ray, but the killer is chasing Jack. When the jealous Mormon sees his wife Adelle (Selma Blair) flirting with Ray, he decides to kill him. Without any option, Ray joins his crook-friends to help him to resolve the situation.

The beginning of "The Alibi" is too fast and confused and does not develop well the relationship between Ray Elliot and Lola. However, after the death of the masochist slut, the story becomes funny and dynamic, and the final plan of Ray is messy but hilarious. The cast of this film has good actors and actresses and in the end it is a worthwhile entertainment. The most incredible, Rebecca Romijn seems to be more beautiful than ever. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Álibi" ("Alibi")

A dream service for those adulterous men and women out there. A service which takes your calls, handles all potentially tense situations of private eyes and that suspecting spouse, essentially taking care of you on the side while you bang. Sounds good? I think so too, at least in a business sense.

Ray Elliot (Steve Coogan) runs such a service. It's a money spinner, based on statistics that one in 4 men stray, and one in 10 women cheat. He advertises his risk management career through word of mouth, and takes pride in his job in bailing clients out of seemingly explosive marital situations. The pre-requisites? A calm cool mind that can spin out stories and tell them with a straight face.

Lola Davis (the hot Rebecca Romijn) is his new management recruit, and without much orientation, plunges into the job head on. Initially you might think the movie will develop on the above company politics scenario, and have the two leads get involved with each other romantically. But no, before you can get to see the next fling, the movie heads on to classic crime noir territory.

On his last field job, Ray's client accidentally kills his mistress in a bout of S&M, and it's up to Ray to clear the mess up, violating one of his principles that his company doesn't provide alibis for crime. However his reputation and integrity is on the line, and he has no choice but to cover it all up.

And you'll probably wince at the amount of challenges Ray goes through in having this done, and having a price put out on his head. It's essentially one heck of a caper, as we witness how Ray Elliot schemes and plot to get his rear out of situations that's seemingly impossible, and incredibly lucky to get out of. It's full of crossings and double-crossings, and while you might be lost at certain plot points, just hang in there as all will converge for the finale, leaving you with a smirk, quite satisfied with the outcome.

What's fun in this movie is the huge ensemble cast that play the many characters on screen. Another X-Men franchise regular, James Marsden (Cyclops) is here as the inept himbo Wendell Hatch, Ray Elliot's last client, and we have a myriad of characters like hit men, gangsters, cops, an unsatisfied wife, etc from a cast of Selma Blair, James Brolin, Sam Elliot, Jaime King, John Leguizamo, Deborah Kara Unger, and the likes.

One thing's for sure, having a huge network of those whom you have deposited emotional or material help with, certainly will help bucket-loads when the time comes. If you're up for a caper, then I'd recommend The Alibi, for its fun.